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How to Use Kindle Previewer
What Kindle Previewer is, how to download and use it, and whether you need it if your formatter already has a built-in preview.
Kindle Previewer is Amazon's free tool for seeing how your ebook will look on a Kindle before you publish it. If you are selling on Kindle Direct Publishing, it is a useful final check, because it shows your book on the actual range of Kindle devices and apps that readers use. This guide covers what it is, how to use it, and where it fits alongside a formatter's own preview.
What Kindle Previewer does
Kindle Previewer is a desktop program, free from Amazon for Windows and Mac, that opens your ebook file and renders it the way a Kindle would. You can switch between different devices, from small phones running the Kindle app to e-ink Kindles, and see how your book reflows on each. It is the closest thing to holding every Kindle at once.
How to use it
Download and install Kindle Previewer from Amazon, then open your EPUB in it. Use the device menu to move between phones, tablets, and e-readers, and on each one check the things that tend to break: the table of contents links, the chapter openings, any images, and how the text looks when the reader increases the font size. If something looks wrong on one device, it is usually a formatting issue to fix in your source, not something to correct in the Previewer.
Where it fits
Kindle Previewer is a checking tool, not a formatting tool. It shows you problems; it does not fix them. That is why it works best as a final confirmation after you have already formatted and previewed the book properly. If your ebook was built correctly, Kindle Previewer should show a clean, consistent book across every device. If it does not, the fix belongs back in your formatter.
Kindle Previewer and Koberger
Koberger already previews your ebook across representative devices as you work, so most of what Kindle Previewer would flag is caught before you export. When you do export, you get a validated EPUB that opens cleanly in Kindle Previewer for a final look, and that you can also sideload onto a real Kindle to proof. For the wider picture, see our guide to previewing your book before you publish, and try formatting your book for free.
Frequently asked questions
What is Kindle Previewer?
Kindle Previewer is Amazon's free desktop program that shows how your ebook will look on different Kindle devices and apps. You open your book file in it and switch between devices to check the layout before you publish on Kindle Direct Publishing.
Where do I download Kindle Previewer?
Kindle Previewer is a free download from Amazon for Windows and Mac, available through the Kindle Direct Publishing help pages. It runs on your computer rather than in the browser.
How do I use Kindle Previewer?
Open your EPUB in Kindle Previewer, then use the device menu to switch between phones, tablets, and e-ink Kindles. Check the table of contents, chapter openings, images, and how the text reflows at different sizes on each device.
Do I need Kindle Previewer if my formatter has a preview?
Not necessarily. A good formatter previews your ebook across representative devices before you export, which catches most problems. Kindle Previewer is a useful final check specifically for how the book behaves on Kindle, but it is not a substitute for formatting the book correctly in the first place.